Dark Saint [Romano Brotherhood, #1]

DEVIANT PRINCE - EXCERPT!

The only thing worse than having a next-door neighbor who keeps trying to kill you?

Said neighbor being the most ridiculously attractive man I've ever seen.

To make matters even worse, I'm apparently the one person who can see the humanity seeping through the cracks of his lifeless demeanor. 

I've never been good at minding my business, and Massimo Romano? He just became my number one fucking problem.

♛

This would be a moment where a normal person would perhaps say something. Something resembling an explanation. Or a 'Hey, sorry I tried to kill you two times. I'll try not to make it three.' But Massimo just picks up the sheets, nods once as if to congratulate himself on a job well done, and turns to leave.

"Hold the fuck up," I order, stepping in front of him. He tries to slide past, but he can't get by without bodychecking me, which he is hesitant to do thanks to his apparent aversion to touch. I mirror his movements until we're both dancing back and forth in the doorway. He releases a frustrated breath, tilting his head to glare at me.

"Move, or I will move you."

I bark out a laugh. "Do it. I dare you. You could throw me over your shoulder and do the Macarena and I wouldn't bat an eye. There were just human remains in my fucking bed. I need to know what's going on."

Nothing.

"You can't get rid of me, so you might as well fill me in. Would be great to know if I should be running for my life right now."

One murder-obsessed neighbor is enough. I don't think I could handle another threat on top of that.

"It's too late."

"Too late for what? It's never too late—what do you mean? Who did this?"

He massages his temples, suddenly becoming exhausted before my eyes. His outfit alone tells me he wasn't sleeping before I screamed. But I can also tell that from the worn strain in his eyes; a thin sliver of white rimming his irises like he's tamping down some kind of frenzied energy. His eyes are sunken and shadowed. He's beyond exhausted.

"I don't know who did this. Or why." The words seem to press invisible weights on his shoulders. "But whoever it is, they'd find you. It's too late to run."

Fury bubbles up in my chest. "Why did you involve me in this shit? I've done nothing—I don't even know who you are!"

"Move, Vivienne."

I stand my ground. "Why would they go after me? You and I hardly know each other. And thank God for that, by the way. Shit, what am I supposed to do now?" Panic is beginning to peek through the fury. "Am I just supposed to sleep in that bed, go about my days, waiting until I'm the dead body? No, you and I are gonna sit down and talk this shit through. I want all the details, everything. Whether you like it or not, I'm involved in this, Massimo."

"Move."

A chill passes through me at the threat burning the edges of his voice. "This is my life. I'm not going to just wait around and—hey!"

The world goes lopsided, and it takes me a second to realize that he's actually thrown me over his shoulder. I notice that his hands stay anchored only where my dress covers my skin. I reflexively grip onto his thick, muscled back as he stomps into the bathroom, depositing me carelessly on the floor like I'm a trash bag he's taken to the dumpster. Then he leaves, slamming the door shut.

The fucking imbecile!

"You can try and avoid me all you want, Massimo!" I call, scrambling to go after him. He's at my front door when I emerge back into the living room, breathless. "I will not leave you alone. I know where you live, bitch!"

His brows shutter, and he stares at me for a few seconds. "You just called me a bitch."

"What, do you prefer princess?" I glare. Has he really had nobody call him names before?

He reaches for the doorknob.

"I promise you, I'm going to harass you every single day until you're so tired of me you're fantasizing about killing me yourself. Oh wait!" My laugh has a touch of mania to it. "You already fantasize about that!"

He clenches his hand around the door, his body practically vibrating from the effort it must take to not close the distance between us and crush my tiny life in his stone fist.

"My advice to you, Vivienne?" His voice cuts sharply into my skin, so smooth and gentle. Soft. And that's what makes it so deadly. "Stay away from me. Before it's too late for you to run."

Then he's gone, the slam of the door rattling the room. 

♛

DEVIANT PRINCE (Massimo and Vivienne's story) is out now on my profile! Add it to your libraries if you want to find out how our favorite sociopathic Capo finds love. Buckle up y'all. I post chapters every week.

Thank you for reading <3

- G